Dynamic changes in the suitable areas for the pinewood nematode in the Sichuan-Chongqing Region of China.

The pine wood nematode (PWN), one of the largest alien forestry pests in China, has caused numerous deaths of conifer forests in Europe and Asia, and is spreading to other suitable areas worldwide. Information on the spatial distribution of the PWN can provide important information for the management of this species. Here, the current and future geographical distributions of PWN were simulated in the Sichuan-Chongqing region of China in detail based on the MaxEnt model. The results indicated excellent prediction performance, with an area under curve score of more than 0.9. The key factors selected were the altitude, maximum temperature of the warmest month, annual precipitation, precipitation of the wettest quarter, and minimum temperature of the coldest month, with thresholds of < 400 m, > 37.5 °C, 1100-1250 mm, 460-530 mm and > 4.0 °C, respectively, indicating that the PWN can live in low-altitude, warm, and humid areas. The suitable region for the PWN is mainly concentrated in the metropolitan area, northeast of Chongqing, and the southeastern and eastern parts of Sichuan Province. Most importantly, in addition to their actual distribution area, the newly identified suitably distribution areas A, B, C, and D for the coming years and E, F, G, and H for the period-2041-2060 (2050s) should be strictly monitored for the presence of PWNs. Altogether, the suitable distribution ranges of the PWN in the Sichuan-Chongqing region show an increasing trend; therefore, owing to its inability to disperse by itself, human activities involving pine trees and vectors of the Japanese pine sawyer should be intensively controlled to prevent the PWN from spreading to these newly discovered suitable areas.

Aurantio-obtusin induces hepatotoxicity through activation of NLRP3 inflammasome signaling.

Aurantio-obtusin (AO) is a major anthraquinone (AQ) compound derived from Cassiae semen (CS). Although pharmacological studies have shown that the CS extracts can serve as effective agents in preclinical and clinical practice, AQ-induced hepatotoxicity in humans has attracted widespread attention. To explore whether AO induces hepatotoxicity and its underlying mechanisms, we exposed larval zebrafish and mice to AO. We found that AO delayed yolk sac absorption, and increased liver area and inflammation in the larval zebrafish. This inflammation was manifested as an increase in liver neutrophils and the up-regulated mRNA expression of interleukin-6 (Il-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (Tnf-α) in the larval zebrafish. Furthermore, a pharmacokinetics study showed that AO was quickly absorbed into the blood and rapidly metabolized in the mice. Of note, AO induced hepatotoxicity in a gender-dependent manner, characterized by liver dysfunction, increased hepatocyte necrosis with inflammatory infiltration, and up-regulated mRNAs of Il-6, Tnf-α and monocyte chemotactic protein 1(Mcp1) in the female mice after 28-day oral administration. It also highlighted that AO triggered NOD-like receptor protein (NLRP) signaling in the female mice, as evidenced by the increased NLRP3, Caspase-1, pro-IL-1ß, IL-1ß and IL-18. Finally, we found that AO led to a significant increase in potassium calcium-activated channel, subfamily N, member 4 (KCNN4) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, along with decreased nuclear factor kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65), in the female mouse livers. In conclusion, AO induced hepatotoxicity by activating NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, at least in part, through increased KCNN4 and ROS production, and NF-κB inhibition.

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals heat stress-responsive genes and their signalling pathways in lilies (Lilium longiflorum vs. Lilium distichum).

The lily, a famous bulbous flower, is seriously affected by high temperatures, which affect their growth and production. To date, the signalling pathways and the molecular mechanisms related to heat response in Lilium have not been elucidated. In this study, a comparative transcriptome analysis was performed in an important thermo-tolerant flower, L. longiflorum, and a thermo-sensitive flower, L. distichum. Lily seedlings were first exposed to heat stress at 42°C for different lengths of time, and the optimal time-points (2 h and 24 h) were selected for RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Approximately 66.51, 66.21, and 65.36 Mb clean reads were identified from three libraries of L. longiflorum (LL_CK, LL_T2h and LL_T24h, respectively) and 66.18, 66.03, and 65.16 Mb clean reads were obtained from three libraries of L. distichum (LD_CK, LD_T2h and LD_T24h, respectively) after rRNA removing. A total of 34,301 unigenes showed similarity to known proteins in the database NCBI non-redundant protein (NR), Swiss-Prot proteins, InterPro proteins, Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). In addition, 1,621 genes were differentially expressed in the overlapping libraries between LL_DEGs and LD_DEGs; of these genes, 352 DEGs were obviously upregulated in L. longiflorum and downregulated in L. distichum during heat stress, including 4-coumarate, CoA ligase (4CL), caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT), peroxidase, pathogenesis-related protein 10 family genes (PR10s), 14-3-3 protein, leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein kinase, and glycine-rich cell wall structural protein-like. These genes were mainly involved in metabolic pathways, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant-pathogen interactions, plant hormone signal transduction, and kinase signalling pathways. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed to validate the expression profiling of these DEGs in RNA-seq data. Taken together, the results obtained in the present study provide a comprehensive sequence resource for the discovery of heat-resistance genes and reveal potential key components that are responsive to heat stress in lilies, which may help to elucidate the heat signal transcription networks and facilitate heat-resistance breeding in lily.

Dynamic change in spring habitat use by the brown eared pheasant (Crossptilon mantchuricum) in the Huanglong mountains, Yanan City, Shaanxi Province, China.

Characterization of foraging-site preferences of threatened and endangered species is a key component of effective habitat conservation. We studied foraging-site selection by the brown eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) in the Huanglongshan Nature Reserve, Yanan City, Shaanxi Province, China, from early February to end of May 2011. We identified feeding sites by locating tracks and scratches characteristic of the birds, and compared habitat characteristics at these sites to those at randomly selected sites across the study area. During the pre-breeding season, the birds tended to be found in the areas characterized by gullies within mixed forests with intermediate sun exposure on gentle slopes (< 10°), and close to water and footpaths. The sites utilized by the birds also featured greater tree diameter, lower shrub density, lower grass cover, and lower altitude than random sites. During the breeding season, the birds tended to be found in the areas of slightly higher altitude, more shrubs, moderately steep slopes (10°-20°), and farther from water and paths. These patterns were consistent with seasonal changes in vegetation and food-resource availability in the study area. Management of brown eared pheasants' populations for conservation must account for these seasonal shifts in habitat requirements.

Modeling spring habitat requirements of the endangered brown eared pheasant Crossoptilon mantchuricum in the Huanglong Mountains, Shaanxi Province, China.

A detailed understanding of the habitat needs of brown eared pheasants (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) is essential for conserving the species. We carried out field surveys in the Huanglong Mountains of Shaanxi Province, China, from March to June in 2007 and 2008. We arrayed a total of 206 grid plots (200 × 200 m) along transects in 2007 and 2008 and quantified a suite of environmental variables for each one. In the optimal logistic regression model, the most important variables for brown eared pheasants were slope degree, tree cover, distance to nearest water, cover and depth of fallen leaves. Hosmer and Leweshow goodness-of-fit tests explained that logistic models for the species were good fits. The model suggested that spring habitat selection of the brown eared pheasant was negatively related to distance to nearest water and slope degree, and positively to cover of trees and cover and depth of fallen leaves. In addition, the observed detected and undetected grids in 2007 did not show significant differences with predictions based on the model. These results showed that the model could well predict the habitat selection of brown eared pheasants. Based on these predictive models, we suggest that habitat management plans incorporating this new information can now focus more effectively on restrictions on the number of tourists entering the nature reserve, prohibition of firewood collection, livestock grazing, and medicinal plant harvesting by local residents in the core areas, protection of mixed forest and sources of the permanent water in the reserve, and use of alternatives to firewood.

Tardigrades from Taiwan, with the description of a new species of Doryphoribius (Tardigrada, Hypsibiidae).

A total of eleven species of tardigrades from Taiwan are reported in this article. They belong to two classes, three orders, four families, and ten genera. Ten species are new records for Taiwan and one is new to science. Doryphoribius taiwanus sp. nov. is similar to Dor. mariae , but differs from it by larger body size, by conspicuous tubercles on the lateral side and dorsal sides of the body, by lacking gibbosities and undulations, by a narrower buccal tube, and by longer claws.